Survival Crusade
by Big-Babidi
Summary: The tournament in the Midair Stadium brings legendary fighters to its battlefield, along with a deadly ambush and sinister threat. An alternate take on the Subspace Emissary.
1. Invasion: Prologue

He dashed towards his trembling opponent, easily avoiding the green fireball his foe launched during a miniscule moment of courage. Grabbing said adversary by the collar, he roughly slammed him on the blue limestone. The legendary sword Falchion in hand, he placed the weapon's tip centimeters away from his opponent's quivering neck.

"I surrender!"

As quickly as those words left his mouth, the elegant blade retracted, its owner returning Falchion to rest inside its sheath. The tournament's referee, an elderly Toad wearing a white-spotted black mushroom cap instead of the traditional red and white, stood close enough to the battle to observe but maintained enough distance to prevent getting involved. While rule penalties or forfeits were rare in Smash tournaments, missing such occurrences to save a few coins seemed like a terrible idea; a referee easily solved the problem.

Microphone in hand, he quickly informed the audience of the battle's conclusion.

"And the winner is… Marth!"

The blue haired swordsman nodded and extended a hand towards Luigi. Understanding the fight had ended; Mario's brother shook off the majority of his fear and grabbed Marth's hand, accepting the assistance.

A pleasant sight of good sportsmanship occurred afterwards, as both prince and plumber shook still-joined hands. "Congratulations on winning, Marth."

Outwardly smiling, Marth frowned on the inside at Luigi's slightly gloomy tone. "Thank you for your kind words, but don't sell yourself short. You've come a long way since the last tournament. All your adventures must be really paying off."

He wasn't lying either.

During most of the skirmish, Luigi kept his composure and fought with his head. Utilizing his high jumping abilities in conjunction with his green fireballs, the plumber ensured distance between them while putting the swordsman on the defensive. It was only after Altea's prince continued evading his attacks and slowly but surely closing in on his position did Luigi's fear take over. Once Marth entered range for close combat, one small fireball was all he could muster in his trembling, fearful state.

"And you know, this crowd isn't cheering _just_ for me."

Looking around, Luigi gasped, noticing that statement's validity. Admittedly, the number of fans chanting his name paled in comparison to the overwhelming feedback the blue haired prince received, but it didn't bother him. People were not cheering for Mario, for Peach or for Yoshi. Their words of praise were meant for him and no one else.

He had forgotten how great that felt.

A hand clamped down on his shoulder. The plumber peered up and noticed Marth nodding towards him, "Come on. I'll show you up to the VIP room. Princesses Zelda, Peach and Daisy are all there, as well as Prince Mallow."

Luigi nodded back, smiling.

* * *

**Disclaimer**  
I don't own anything from the Super Smash Brothers series, nor anything from the games associated with it. Obviously.

* * *

Survival Crusade

Invasion

Prologue

By Big-Babidi

* * *

Shifting Galaxia into battle position, his yellow eyes narrowed threateningly behind his silver mask.

It all happened so fast. Beginning as a typical day aboard the _Halberd_, what started as camping out in a supposedly nasty storm became something much more sinister. The ship itself had been stationed near a mass of glaciers and icy mountains, as a small problem with the engines urged the crew to make a landing. Meta Knight decided to play it safe, and preferred flying through the frosty region only after the repairs had been completed. When a snowstorm of epic proportions arrived at their very location, the majority of the crew took shelter inside the ship and any wishes for leaving quickly were temporarily put on hold through the storm's duration.

Unfortunately, with nearly everyone's attention focused on the disagreeable weather, a large mass of dark purple Shadow Bugs sneaked in undetected. The few that noticed… never had a chance to inform their comrades. The purple particles merging together to form Primids saw to that. Once the others did notice, Meta Knight and his four strongest fighters made their way to the _Halberd's_ deck and began annihilating the enemies, the blistering cold be damned. But no matter how many fell, another immediately took its place.

Simply put: They. Kept. On. Coming.

The Meta-Knights fought valiantly, but quantity had a quality of its own, as the Primid's drastic numerical advantage pushed them back. Making matters worse, once the purple soldiers were actually considered a major threat the bridge had already been taken, throwing any plans to counterattack using the ship's weaponry impossible.

All of which had become easier for the enemy because of one man.

A dark skinned warrior, with a head and beard full of red hair. Wearing all black with a blue cape, he had two sheaths at each side, where the swords themselves rested comfortably in his hands. Additionally, blue and golden gauntlets, boots and body armor were worn over his clothes. His combination of exemplary swordsmanship alongside vicious dark magic enabled him to tear through Meta Knight's strongest warriors like tissue paper. A power the blue puffball hadn't seen since Kirby himself. No, maybe even stronger.

The same man on the receiving end of the _Halberd_ leader's glare, the swarm of Primids surrounding him forgotten.

"Who are you? Why are you attacking us?" He growled, his tone challenging.

The man smirked. He saw no reason to indulge this would-be sword fighter _all_ the details, "Ganondorf, king of the Gerudos. All we want is your ship. Everything else is just a bonus."

Meta Knight bristled, though he honestly wasn't that surprised. All throughout Dream Land, his ship had been regarded in either total fascination or intense, unbridled terror because of its destructive power. With a massive size and an arsenal that put a number of spaceships to shame, he figured someone would have attempted to hijack it sooner. Anyone wanting power in the skies would feel tempted by such a weapon.

"Unfortunately, all you will receive is death."

Shaking his head, Ganondorf rid himself of a small patch of snow that settled on his head. He carelessly waved his hand towards the _Halberd's_ leader in an irrefutably dismissive gesture, "You've got guts, but don't kid yourself. Run along home while you still have the chance. A small creature like you has no hope of victory."

If possible, yellow eyes narrowed even further. "You will soon regret those words."

Meta Knight would show him no mercy.

The small swordsman charged, Galaxia consecutively meeting Ganondorf's duel swords blow for blow. Meta Knight swung his blade incredibly swiftly, preventing the Gerudo leader from finding an easy opening even with an extra weapon and a longer reach.

But Ganondorf hadn't run out of options. Not by a long shot, as the red haired fighter quickly sidestepped backwards, evading Meta Knight's rapid slashes. Putting his magic to use, he levitated nearly ten feet in the air. After placing the appropriate sword back in its sheath, Ganondorf raised his right arm and formed a yellow ball of energy in his hand. The simple thought of its destructive capabilities made his lips curve upwards. Without hesitation, he flung the magic attack towards the blue puffball.

Fully prepared for the blast, the masked swordsman vanished with a flourish of his cape. Avoiding the attack resulted in minor damage to the _Halberd's_ deck, but Meta Knight paid it no mind and used his cape once again to rush Ganondorf; their swords clashed in midair. Unfortunately, the bearded king took advantage of his greater strength and swiftly pushed Meta Knight back, making him temporarily lose his momentum. Off balance and flying below his enemy, Galaxia's wielder couldn't react in time to the dark magic encoded boot that planted itself directly in his face, making him quickly crash into the lower gun of his ship's Combo Cannon.

Meta Knight arose immediately, but the sight in front of him prevented him from acting rashly. Unless his eyes needed an examination –and while the kick he endured hurt tremendously, he knew the damage wasn't _that_ extensive– there were two Ganondorfs on his ship. The one he'd been fighting continued hovering above, while another being stood nearly twenty feet from his location. They appeared the same, but this other Ganondorf had two major distinctions: A sinister, purple aura emanating from his entire body along with golden eyes, displaying nothing but pure evil.

Who was that? Where did he… or rather, _it_ come from? Meta Knight kept his eyes peeled during the fight, as he never expected these invaders to uphold any sense of commendable chivalry and allow them an honest dual. Still, he never noticed anyone else entering or leaving the deck.

Just what in the _hell_ was going on?

"You look confused."

Looking upwards, Meta Knight noticed Ganondorf sporting a full-blown grin. "Disappointed is more like it, for you need some kind of pale imitation of yourself to assist fighting in a duel."

The king of thieves only chuckled at the response. "Say what you wish, I read your lies like a book. You're afraid, and not without reason either. I am already more than powerful enough to kill you myself and even if the other is a fake, so is he."

Before Meta Knight could form a retort, the pseudo-Ganondorf took the initiative and charged. Stopping near the swordsman, his leg kicked up in the air and came crashing down at a tremendous speed.

The swordsman rolled to the right, escaping the kick. The sound of a rumbling hiss diverted his attention, however, when the mechanical arm of the _Halberd's_ Combo Cannon extended towards his small body. Upon realizing the enemy had control of the ship's offensive armaments, Meta Knight knew this battle could no longer continue. Fighting the real Ganondorf one on one was difficult enough.

He had to end this.

Using impeccable timing, Meta Knight planned his jump well, landing perfectly atop the mechanical limb. Wasting no time, he launched into the air once again. This time, he poured all his concentration and all his energy into his body as it went into overdrive. An aura that consistently changed colors surrounded his frame.

The Final Smash. His only viable option. Meta Knight had no allusions. If the battle continued he would lose, plain and simple. But Ganondorf was clearly in charge of this invasion. He had to try something –_anything_– to save his crew, and since the Primids hadn't shown any individual intelligence up to that point, the idea of dispatching their leader became his best bet.

After all, the quickest way to slaying the beast was to chop off its head.

Ganondorf's smirk diminished upon recognizing Meta Knight's dangerous aura. He'd gotten too close to evade. At the masked swordsman's cape flipping, his surroundings faded into darkness. Temporarily blind to the world, Ganondorf only remembered one thing inside the shadows.

Pain.

Incredible pain seared through his chest as he directly endured the awesome power of Galaxia Darkness. The feeling was too strong, as he fell. His back loudly smacked near the edge of the _Halberd's_ deck and was drenched in snow.

Meta Knight landed without injury beside the Combo Cannon, breathing heavily. Eyeing Ganondorf's still body, he could only wait and see if his plan succeeded. So far, little had changed. The Primids' behavior underwent no alterations but the pseudo-Ganondorf only glared in his direction, as opposed to attacking with the intent to kill. Maybe, just maybe, that the sign he hoped for-

The ever growing laughter from a _supposedly_ unconscious man shattered his hopes.

Rising, the bearded Gerudo appeared completely unharmed. He stretched his arms and neck, momentarily disregarding Meta Knight's presence altogether, speaking volumes of his amusement and confidence. When he did speak, it was with contrived awe and immense condescension.

"Ah, a Final Smash. You've surprised me. I never thought a weakling like yourself would have one." Briefly pausing, his tone became neutral once again. "No matter. I've survived worse, and an attack of that caliber obviously sapped much of your strength. Your brilliant plan to win in one blow has backfired completely."

Ganondorf quickly nodded to his counterpart. The remaining Primids surrounding the area dissolved into Shadow Bugs and immediately merged with the pseudo-Ganondorf. The fake king grew to an enormous height, the evil aura encompassing it as strong as ever.

The _Halberd's_ leader couldn't hide his surprise. _'So that's what happened. I knew no one entered or left the dock.'_

Unfortunately, he had no time for further thoughts as Ganondorf's assessment was dead on. Using the overwhelming majority of energy on his devastating Final Smash, Meta Knight couldn't evade as the now enlarged pseudo-Ganondorf's gigantic hands grabbed him tightly. Meta Knight lacked the strength to break free, even with Galaxia in hand and could do nothing as the titan of pure evil threw him aside with enough strength to make him soar past the _Halberd_.

He regained his bearings in midair, but it no longer mattered. His eyes widened in shock upon sighting every single gun on the _Halberd's_ left side aimed directly at his position. Meta Knight had seen much in his lifetime, but the possibility of being fired upon by his own ship hurt him more than he would ever confess aloud.

And dodging them all was impossible.

Before they opened fire, before he would become nothing more than a lifeless trophy, Meta Knight had one last thought.

'_Kirby… be careful.'_

* * *

AN

For those wondering, Prince Mallow is from Super Mario RPG. I'm not sure how important he'll be yet, but there he is. And for those wondering about Ganondorf using two swords, he does so in Wind Waker. Also, as I'm sure some have noticed, Final Smashes in this fic have been altered to being something of a last resort, as using them consumes a great deal of energy and becoming a double-edged-sword. Otherwise, they'd be happening all the time.

I may end up changing the title and/or summary eventually, as I think they kinda suck.

That's all for now. Feel free to review. Whether it's praise or flames, I can take it.

Big-Babidi


	2. Invasion: Calm Before the Storm

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Permission to enter, sir?"

Standing in the center of the _Halberd's_ bridge, Ganondorf showed no visible reaction to the noise. While the ship suffered obvious damage from the recent attack, the bridge had fortunately received little in terms of destruction. Save for a broken window, a dent in the right side in the shape of an unskilled Primid's head and a number of blood spots spattered across the floor, the area endured the battle's effects greatly, much to the bearded king's relief.

"Come in."

The door opened slowly, revealing a koopa donning the usual green shoes and helmet but unlike the others, a pair of hammers was subtly displayed behind his green shell, signifying his earned rank among the Hammer Brothers, elite fighters of the koopa king Bowser's army. Clutched in his hands was a small clipboard, packed with numerous papers, no doubt the recordings regarding the current situation after the successful takeover.

As the koopa gave a crisp salute and began his report, Ganondorf was secretly glad Bowser's minions accompanied him for the trip. Originally intending to lead an army almost entirely consisting of Primids, the addition of koopas with knowledge of strategy and enormous experience with manual labor proved invaluable to the tasks at hand. Primid's excelled at wanton slaughter, but any jobs that involved one to use the grey, squishy organ between their ears was better left for someone else.

_Anyone_ else.

"Reporting in sir. As of one hour ago, every member of this ship's original crew has been defeated and only the leader has the potential to become a trophy. With no chances for a possible rescue attempt, the _Halberd_ is ours without a doubt."

"I see. Give me a damage report." The Gerudo king stepped around the wheel until he stood at the front of the bridge.

"Roger that. Surprisingly, we came out even greater than anticipated. There's some minor damage here and there from the battles taking place inside and on the deck, but nothing serious. Aside from that, there's also the preexisting engine trouble, but it shouldn't be much trouble for the mechanics I sent."

"Did any others become a trophy?" Ganondorf couldn't help his curiosity. Those who experienced the mysterious phenomenon of transforming into a trophy following death were incredibly rare among the world's population. The ability to simply revive through sincere touch was enough to make such individuals highly valuable to contractors for any dangerous profession.

"Negative. The entire crew has been accounted for as well. Their leader was the only one."

Ganondorf nodded and peered out the window on the bridge's left side, taking special note of the Shadow Bugs approaching the trophy form of his latest victim. He never learned the name of the minute swordsman, but the bearded king had to admit he underestimated his foe. In addition to perfectly executing a Final Smash, the blue puffball was insanely quick and dangerously skilled at swinging his blade. Not that the little creature stood any remote chance of defeating the leader of the Gerudos, but Ganondorf wouldn't deny for an instant that such battle prowess could've greatly served his side in the upcoming attack.

No matter. He'd take what he could get.

"Tell me… is _he_ ready?"

The Hammer Brother nodded, keeping his composure. "Yes sir. It took a while to get him under control, but he's definitely ready for action."

Ganondorf closed his eyes. "Show me."

The hammer-wielding Koopa snapped a quick salute, "Right away sir."

The two quickly proceeded through a number of corridors, halls and elevators while maintaining silence, save for the sounds of minor repairs to any damage the ship sustained during their takeover. Ganondorf took note of the Primids frantically doing their utmost to carry out the instructions the mechanically experienced Koopa Troopas barked out from the sides. He had no particular problems with the arrangement. Primids were expendable. Losing a few to unexpected accidents meant little given their origins and prevented even one among Bowser's henchmen from losing out on contributing.

And without the Koopa's guidance… even the confident king of Gerudos refused to entertain the thought.

Soon enough, the pair arrived at their destination. A wide area in one of the lower sections of the _Halberd_, a number of Koopa Troopas stood near the walls in observance while a couple Primids were near the center along with a rather gigantic plant-like creature wearing what appeared to be a white-dotted red thong. Ganondorf recognized the beast from earlier reports as Petey Pirahna. Its attention was diverted thanks to an oval-shaped cage the creature swung repeatedly in each of its large green hands in the shape of a leaf.

"As you can see sir," one of the mechanic Koopas began, "Petey here is hungry for some action. And everything's been set up perfectly for that to be arranged."

"I see. And is Bowser ready on his end?"

"That's an affirmative, sir. Once the ship's repairs are completed, we'll be fully prepared."

A thin smile stretched across Ganondorf's features, "Excellent."

* * *

**Disclaimer**  
I don't own anything from the Super Smash Brothers series, nor anything from the games associated with it. Obviously.

* * *

Survival Crusade

Invasion

Chapter 1: Calm Before the Storn

By Big-Babidi

* * *

Up in space, the mothership of the renowned mercenary team Star Fox slowly orbited a nearby planet. Within the Great Fox's bridge, the group discussed their current situation and debated their next course of action.

"Is this the place?" Fox asked, viewing the planet's image projected in the room's center. General Peppy, ROB 64 and the remaining three among his team stood at their appropriate stations.

"That's the one," Peppy said. "It may only be a rumor, but it's better to be safe than sorry. I know you two have been here before." He directed the latter comment to Fox and Falco.

"Andross…" Fox whispered. He couldn't imagine that mutated lunatic monkey surviving their last encounter, but Fox had too much experience to rule out the possibility. Besides, stranger things had happened across the galaxy.

Smacking a fist into his other hand's palm, Falco smirked, "Either way, this'll be a piece of cake."

Fox closed his eyes, knowing better than to take the comment at face value. "Let's take this time to analyze the planet."

Hitting a plethora of buttons, Slippy gathered various pieces of information at an extraordinary rate. "Its name is Earth. We can breathe inside without any problems, and the hottest area is its equator. The temperature is gradually cooler as you go north or south."

Fox nodded, already familiar with that information, "What about current events?"

A few extra buttons punched in, and the Great Fox established connections with online databases of the planet, "Right now the top headlines of nearly every news publication is discussing a certain tournament taking place in some midair arena."

"Can you pinpoint a location?"

"Gimme a sec… got it. The northeastern continent and fairly close to the Mushroom Kingdom."

The top two pilots shared a look. Would Mario get involved? The powerful plumber had shown great strength during their last encounter. Not just Mario, would the others from the previous tournament offer aid as well? If Andross had truly returned, the Star Fox Team could definitely use their assistance.

"Can you come up with a list of participants? I'll bet there's some familiar faces." Fox asked, approaching the toad and looking over his shoulder at his progress.

"No problem." Slippy accessed the roster of all participants. "Yowza! That's a lot of fighters." He gawked.

"Good ones too." Fox scanned the names while nodding. Falco soon joined them, reading over the list of names and instantly recognizing many entries. Marth. Kirby. Link. Mario. Luigi.

"Katt?" What the heck is she doin' there?" Falco demanded. A closer inspection revealed the name Katt Munroe. Luckily, Fox had already planned on Falco's accompaniment during exploration.

"General," Backtracking from the roster, Slippy picked up on more pressing matters, "I'm picking up something approaching."

Peppy crossed his arms, "On screen."

A closer inspection revealed a ship. Covered in yellow and shaped like a tailless manta ray, the green window in the front along with the ship's design displayed the trademark appearance of a well-known and equally fearsome bounty hunter.

One that Fox was familiar with.

"Samus Aran?" He asked aloud. He hadn't seen her since the Melee tournament sponsored by the unstable Crazy Hand back on the planet they orbited. Her face appeared, replacing the ship.

"Fox McCloud," A quick glance, she nodded at the other familiar pilot, "and Falco Lombardi. It's strange running into you two here of all places."

Falco raised an arm, "I hear that. What's up?"

"Are you here for the tournament taking place?" Fox asked, "I think it's a successor to the last one."

"No." She shook her head, "My trip here is much more serious than that."

"Same with us," Falco interjected, "We've been hearing a disturbingly large amount of rumors that an old enemy or ours, one that should _certainly_ be dead, has been spotted on this planet."

The bounty hunter frowned, "Strange. I'm here for similar reasons. If you don't mind, I think we should take the time to exchange information."

* * *

With heavy uproar during each bout, the tournament in the midair stadium was in full swing. Much to the relief of the organizing committee, every single seat had someone in attendance. The numerous vendors journeying the aisles shared in the joy, making enormous profit in meeting the heavy demands for their concessions.

"Oh my! There's a real crowd in here too." Turning around, Princess Peach took in the scenery of the V.I.P. section of the stadium. The area had five different columns of luxurious chairs, each row elevated at a higher level than the one in front of it. Like the stadium's seats, every chair was occupied or reserved for those in combat, nobles and notable individuals worldwide drawn to the tournament, whether to leisurely view or participate in battle. Along with their own respective bodyguards, a number of servants had been stationed to the side near the exit, obeying their guests' every demand.

Seated beside her, Marth raised an eyebrow. _'Surely she didn't realize such a thing just now.' _He thought as the Mushroom princess waved to Daisy –who was petting the head of a smiling Luigi– with a cheery smile. Glancing to his other side, he noticed Princess Zelda wearing a similar expression. He shrugged nonchalantly, an amused smile tugging his lips. Zelda laughed, hand covering her mouth.

"Same old Peach."

An immediate response to the name, Peach whirled around to face the other nobles, clasping her hands in front of her chest, "Marth! Zelda! Did you see how many people are here?"

Marth sighed, still smiling, "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

Princess Toadstool's appeared confused, tilting her head, "Whatever do you mean? I'm just surprised there's so many people. Don't you agree Mallow?" She asked the noble seated to her other side.

A small body of cloud that fit entirely on the chair, Prince Mallow of Nimbus Land nodded enthusiastically, "I sure do! It's great to have so many of my friends here too." He took a quick glance at the rows behind at Mario, who was seated between Kirby and his brother, intently peering down at the stadium while Luigi received a kiss to the cheek.

"You're so right! Even if some of them are really mean," Peach agreed, turning around again to stick her tongue out at Marth and Zelda. The pair pointedly ignored her, refocusing their attention to the tournament as the referee Toad approached the center of the battlefield, microphone in hand.

"Ladies and gentlemen! The next match is when this tournament begins to step it up a notch! Before we saw duels, but now we're doubling the participants! That's right folks! Now you'll understand why the Brawl Tournament has that name!" The crowd's cheer grew louder with each sentence, and he had no intention of stopping there. "Twice the action! Twice the suspense! Twice the drama!" He swept his arm across the area, "And now, I present to you our fighters!"

"Better known to most as the Hero of Time, in this corner resides a former competitor, the swordsman who saved the Kingdom of Hyrule against the Gerudo sorcerer Ganondorf!" He approached the upper left corner, standing near a blond swordsman wearing a universally recognizable green tunic. As a competition of enjoyment, the Master Sword remained stuck in the ground, replaced by the Ordon Sword rested comfortably in his sheathe.

"Link!" The crowd continuing going wild as the hero raised his arm in greeting.

"In our next corner, the most proficient martial artist in all of Dream Land, Knuckle Joe!" A small brown-haired fighter wearing blue with white gloves and headband jumped up with a raised fist.

"Now in our other corners, a swordsman from the previous tournament, Roy!" The young redhead nodded to his mother Lyndis, comfortably seated in the V.I.P. section beside Daisy, the Sword of Seals held firmly in his grasp.

"And our last contestant, a young girl planning to donate the large cash reward to charity and her parent's preschool. Give it up for this adorable sweetheart, Paula Polestar!" A round of applause equal to Link's reception greeted the young girl. Paula had a big smile as she excitedly waved to the audience with bright red cheeks.

"The rules haven't changed from before. Last person remaining is the winner." The Toad paused solely for dramatic effect, "Get ready… fight!"

The experienced tournament competitors wasted no time in seeking each other out. Given their positions, they both simply ran a straight line until sword met sword. Link found himself on the defensive as the Ordon Sword in one hand fared terribly against a two-hand held Sword of Seals.

"PSI Shield!" Paula shouted instinctually, barely managing to block Knuckle Joe's fast punches and saving herself from a quick loss right when the match started. When his flurry of fists halted, she went on the offensive. "PSI Fire Beta!" A stream of fire jettisoned from her fingers. Raising his arms in defense, Knuckle Joe directly felt the searing heat as the attack sent him flying.

After a trail of parries, Link swung his blade with tremendous force, meeting Roy's and halting both weapons upon contact. The Hylian held a small smirk, "If you want that rematch against Marth, you'll have to go through me first."

Roy narrowed his eyes, "No Link. That is exactly what I should be saying… to _you_!" He yelled, extra adrenaline providing the strength boost needed for an upward swing that knocked the Ordon Sword right out of Link's hands. Roy followed up with a second swing of his flame-consumed sword.

Unlike Roy, Link's arsenal held far more than just a blade. Sword of Seals hit a brick wall known as the Hylian Shield, the latter with a reputation for guarding fire. With no intention of wasting the opportunity, Link reached out with his foot and kicked Roy's knee forward, then delivered his shield straight to the redhead's face, sending him to the ground. Reaching for his pouch, Link retrieved his Hookshot, its red light glowing on his opponent's ankle.

"PSI Thunder Beta!"

The action canceled as both swordsman rolled in different directions, both evading Paula's powerful lighting attack. Reclaiming the Ordon Sword mid-roll, Link discovered he'd face a different opponent, as a nearby Knuckle Joe thrust a powerful kick that sent a shockwave that nearly knocked him over, his shield barely staying in his grip. The small fighter followed with a series of ultra fast punches and the Hero of Time found himself hard pressed to evade them all.

Paula launched a wave of PSI Fire Alpha, only realizing her mistake when Roy's fire sword swatted each spell away like a fly. Her hands glowed blue before an ominous change occurred from above.

In an instant, the ground started to shake and red clouds filled the sky at an alarming rate. The fighters stopped combating, each one confusedly looking around. At the head of this sudden change of atmosphere, a ship with the mask up front led the charge. A ship anyone from Dream Land would recognize on sight.

"That's…!" Knuckle Joe started, his eyes and jaw widened considerably, "What's the _Halberd_ doing here? Not to mention this sky. Meta Knight never made it weird like _that_!"

"The _Halberd_?" Link asked, "What is that?"

"It's that ship we're staring at right now of course!" Taking a deep breath, the small fighter provided a calmer and more detailed explanation, "It's piloted by the only other person I know from Kirby's race, a masked swordsman by the name of Meta Knight. A while back he'd tried to conquer Dream Land, but I- we all thought that was water under the bridge by now. For him to come here of all places… just doesn't even make sense."

Roy remained silent through the exchange, curious eyes fixated on the incoming ship.

"W-w-what's going on here?" Paula couldn't stop trembling.

A compartment below the _Halberd_ opened its doors and a countless supply of purple specks flowed outward like snow. Upon hitting the ground, a number would combine and form the Primids fought by the former crew of the ship. As the enemy's number continued to multiply, so did the overall panic.

Up in the stands, Kirby had already inhaled and taken flight, Lyn following immediately with a tight grip on Mani Katti's hilt. Marth stood up along with the princesses on each side. Mario seemed itching to launch forward but waited word from his kingdom's princess, while his brother and Daisy held each other in fear. Zelda and Mallow accessed the situation calmly, while others either had similar thoughts or gathered their bodyguards to vacate the new combat zone with great haste. Marth worried little for those in the room, having greater concern for the audience. The dropping of purple was far from exclusive to the tournament battlegrounds, a number of them falling in every area of the Midair Stadium. Most people in the crowd erupted into chaotic panic, trying to escape and evade the Primids and stay alive. Luckily, they weren't entirely defenseless. Fighters who'd lost previous matches and stuck around found themselves with another reason to put their combat prowess to use.

Back on the battlefield, the four felt stunned at the monsters forming right before their eyes.

"What in the world…?" Roy narrowed his eyes at the sight.

"Fight now. Ask later." Joe crackled his knuckles.

Shaking considerably, Paula felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Link looked down with a confident smile. "Don't worry Paula. It's going to be alright. We're all in this together." She nodded, steeling herself for the inevitable.

The four in the stadium prepared for real combat. There would be no competitive nature, each gearing up to battle to the death. Sword gripped in one hand, Link raised his Hylian Shield protectively in the other. Knuckle Joe kept his fist and feet ready to swing at a nanosecond's notice. Standing in his preferred battle stance, Roy began charging his strongest flame attack. Her legs bent, Paula's extended hands glowed in different colors, one for PSI Shield and the other PSI Freeze.

The Primids started their approach.

There would be brawl.


	3. Invasion: War in the Stadium

Confusion.

Fear.

Panic.

Chaos.

Accurate words to describe the audience, running and hiding and screaming and doing whatever they can to survive this sudden invasion. Luckily for them, the Primid's low intelligence and large spacing between stadium seats helped spectators make their escape.

"Chaos Control!"

And so did the contributions of other fighters.

With the slowing of time, Shadow the Hedgehog quickly dispatched five Primids before civilians took any damage. When time reverted to normal he barked at the noncombatants, "What are you doing, just standing around? Get your butts outta here!"

They needn't a second reminder, fleeing to the lower sections of the stadium where numerous vessels of transportation were parked. Sighing, Shadow was in no mood for this. His loss to Kirby had been bad enough (the pink puffball always managed to change into stone right before Chaos Control), and protecting a bunch of helpless fools didn't help matters in the slightest.

Only a few seconds passed before another batch of Primids cropped up in their place.

"Need any help?"

Shadow looked over his shoulder as two other losing competitors entered the scene. With a loud roar, the human-sized purple beetle Bugzzy snatched an unlucky Primid and delivered a vicious suplex that burst its entire body. The other made a far more subtle approach, like the ninja he was, Biospark successfully snuck behind a Primid before slitting its throat, followed up with a small supply of kunai launched into another's face. Where Bugzzy's loss to Link shocked nobody, his defeat at the small hands of Paula Polestar surprised all, herself included.

Scoffing, Shadow punched a purple creature in the face, "Do whatever you like, just stay out of my way!" he shouted at the fighters from Dream Land.

The battle raged on.

* * *

**Disclaimer**  
I don't own Super Smash Brothers or any games these characters or settings come from.

* * *

Survival Crusade

Invasion

Chapter 2: War in the Stadium

By Big-Babidi

* * *

Up in the V.I.P. area, the first Primid formed after the large window broke in collateral damage. The tip of Falchion was buried in its chest before it could take action.

Any action.

"We'll have to split up," Marth hastily decided. As the most experienced in leading large groups directly in the combat zone, he took charge. "With Kirby and Lady Lyndis heading for the stadium, our efforts should focus elsewhere, at least for now. We'll need two groups to sweep through each side of the stadium, one team to remain here for support and the last group assisting noncombatants in their retreat."

Peach stood at the edge of the room, peering down at the pandemonium. She shivered, rubbing her arms together. Mario stationed himself behind her, looking worriedly at his kingdom's princess.

Marth took a quick glance around the room, "Who in this room specializes in close combat?" A number of hands raised.

"Who's good at long range attacks?" Another show of hands.

"Who here is either a noncombatant or wishes to get out of here immediately?" After the last show of hands, Marth put together a strategy.

"Alright, to the left I'd say a team of Captain Falcon, Funky Kong and Ranulf."

"Not a problem. We got this." Ranulf nodded, running a hand through sky blue hair.

Wearing his usual superhero attire, Captain Falcon saluted overdramatically.

"Sounds good to me! Let's get crackin' guys!" The Kong grinned, eyes gleaming with excitement behind his shades.

Marth continued. "The right group will consist of myself, Mario and Blade Knight."

Both fighters nodded.

Gripping her arms tightly, Peach felt her eyes water. The tournament's largest sponsor, the Mushroom Kingdom provided the most resources and personnel, many of whom remained in attendance today. And with its close proximity to the Mushroom Kingdom and marketing campaign to draw people in, her subjects numbered highly among the audience.

'_I signed some of those deals myself,'_ Peach thought sadly. Of the Toads fleeing the area, some escaped successfully and some did not, but all were familiar faces to Princess Toadstool.

"If you don't mind, I think it best if Prince Poo, Prince Mallow, Princess Zelda, and Soren remain here, along with a few bodyguards." The prince of Dalaam nodded along with the other nobles and the pale sorcerer. Wasting no time, they approached the broken window and began casting spells. "Everyone else, go ahead and proceed downwards, but please do your best to remain calm. Ike, Sir Kibble and Luigi will be in charge," Marth suggested.

"Alright lords and ladies, you heard the man." A number of nobles started panicking once they were included and Ike was determined to settle their nerves. "Stay calm. Stay close to your peers and your bodyguards and we'll all get out of here in one piece. Kibble, would you mind guarding the rear?"

"Not at all." A small fighter almost entirely covered in yellow armor, Sir Kibble brandished his signature cutter blade.

"Luigi, if you'll remain in the center, might I suggest your eyes wander places other than Princess Daisy?" Ike asked sternly. He understood the courage of Mario's younger brother ranked lower than the average Shy Guy, but the situation needed him to man up.

"Oh. Right. Sorry," Luigi replied, embarrassed. Under differing circumstances, Daisy would've laughed at his behavior. The best she could do was hug his arm in fright.

Having enough, Peach stepped forward, hands placed on her heart. "Excuse me Marth?" Her usually happy expression was uncharacteristically somber.

He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Yes Peach?" he said with a smile. Poor girl must have been terrified.

"I," she gulped, "I will be fighting too." That got a collective gasp from across the room. Mario in particular had little love for this idea.

"Peach, you don't know what you're saying! Stay back with the others, where it's safe." He pleaded.

Peach frowned, facing the plumber. She'd done enough running. Done enough hiding. Had enough rescuing. No more. It was time she stopped being a burden. Time she started helping others. Time she started rescuing others from the dangers of evil instead of the other way around.

"No Mario. This is something I have to do."

"But Peach-," Mario started.

"Take a look around!" She interrupted, arm sweeping across. "People are dying down there, and my kingdom played a pivotal role in getting this tournament started with _my_ approval! There's no chance I'll run and hide while these people fight for survival, and you know my abilities can help them!"

Frowning, Marth closed his eyes, then reopened them. "Are you absolutely sure?"

Princess Toadstool nodded, determined. "Please, I _have_ to do this," she reiterated.

The legendary plumber narrowed his eyes._ 'I get what you're saying Peach, but this situation is nothing like Smithy.'_

"Very well. You may accompany us." Her face lit up. Mario glared. Marth immediately raised his hand to interrupt incoming objections. "Mario isn't wrong, however, so I'll ask you stay near us."

Her face brightened considerably, "Thank you Marth."

He sighed, fervently hoping he wasn't sending this kind woman to her death.

"Let's move out."

* * *

With a sharp battle cry, the Sword of Seals slammed against the ground, catching the grass on fire and causing a dent in the center. The charged attack had sent over a dozen Primids sailing in different directions, Shadow Bugs spraying across the area like gushing blood. The fourth occasion it'd been executed, Roy felt confident it wouldn't be the last.

A second or two before the next attack he viewed the area. The audience filled the stadium with loud noises during their chaotic escape. He'd like to jump in, assisting in the rescue and keeping the monsters at bay but sadly his objective lied elsewhere: survival. Back on the field, he noticed Knuckle Joe hopping and fighting, desperately yet effectively combating the Primids while avoiding their wrath. Link fought on the opposing direction, switching between Ordon Sword, Hookshot and bomb with the proficiency of a true weapon master. Standing in the center was Paula Polestar, surrounded by a barrier of PSI, opening holes in her defense long enough to fire quick streams of fire, ice or lightning. Primids tried to shatter her defense, but their boomerangs and Beam Swords slightly pushed it back and nothing more. A stronger force was needed to break it.

'_Like a hammer from above.'_ He thought grimly, running to her location. _'I have to make it on time!'_

"Paula get down!" He yelled, barely tackling her, barely evading the weapon incoming at tremendous speed. Roy looked down at the ground and his eyes widened slightly at the dent made from the projected hammer. His gaze shifted upwards, and shuddered at the cold expressions from the team of Hammer Brothers atop the _Halberd_. The Primids kept multiplying on ground level, to add some of the most dangerous koopa siblings attack from above…

Roy preferred leaving the thought incomplete.

"Link!" He called.

"Already on it!" The Hylian's bow held firmly in his grasp, Link fired quickly. His handiwork's efficiency showed itself a second later in the form of a Hammer Brother falling from the _Halberd_ with an arrow lodged between his eyes. The action certainly raised the ire of all koopas onboard. In addition to thrown hammers targeted directly at him, a number of Fire Brothers hurled their own flame attacks, some even combining with the other projectiles, the newly formed fire hammers packing a much deadlier punch than the individual weapons.

"Cover me!" Link yelled. He strapped the Hylian Shield to his forearm and took the fight to them. Arrow after arrow after arrow, he fired consecutively, successfully diverting their attention away from the others. His quiver remained full with fifty piercing arrows. One of few things to feel thankful for, Link had refrained from shooting a single arrow all throughout the tournament. No time like the present to reap the benefits.

Link swung his arm in a backhanded motion, his precision accurate enough for his shield to deflect a flame-induced hammer. He immediately counter attacked with an arrow. He dodged a different projectile and retaliated again. Another koopa plummeted, an arrow stuck in the center of its eye.

"Paula to your right!" Roy yelled, socking a Primid in the face. The young girl followed his guidance and launched a freezing attack just in the nick of time, the Primid's open frozen hand inches away from gripping her throat. "Put up a defensive barrier! They're coming at you from left and right!" With the Hylian occupied, Roy and Paula worked overtime to stop the Primids from interfering with his shootout. The son of Lyndis hacked and slashed while providing proper instructions for the panicking child. Teamwork born from the need to survive, their combination of physical and magical offense had the Primids struggling to successfully land an attack.

Defenses raised, Paula spread her arms wide. "PSI Fire Beta!" A row of flames blasted from each hand, severely burning incoming Primids and scorching the grassy arena.

"Be careful child. Your fire almost reached that archer." Both heads turned to the incoming voice, Paula gulped and stammered an apology while Roy couldn't mask his shock. The words did have merit, as Link struggled to fire his next shot while dodging the nearby flames along with the enemy's attacks.

"Mother! What on Earth are you doing here?" It took painstaking effort to reach her son, but Lyndis achieved her goal, Mani Katti held in her grasp and had already seen plenty of action. She had a reflexive smile. Simply knowing Roy was alright did wonders for her foul mood.

"For you of course. There was no way I'd safely retreat while my boy fights for his life." She sliced a Primid wide open and the trio decided that battle came before small talk.

* * *

"Hiyahh!" On the field's opposite end, Knuckle Joe threw eleven quick punches in under a second to the face of an unlucky Primid and launched a kick at another. At least ten minutes had passed since the sky turned red. At least ten minutes of unending punches and kicks and flips and rolls. Where the others had support during this chaos, Knuckle Joe stood alone.

Fighting fast, seven punches destroyed a different Primid. Two closed in from opposing sides, but Joe leapt over them. He turned around upon landing, throwing another trail of punches, this time with each hand. When they fell, he thrust his leg forward, sending a shockwave through his powerful kick that crushed the chest of a Primid trying a sneak attack.

A couple Primids simultaneously looked up and Joe briefly mimicked their action. Another creature was above, but unlike these ground forces, this one remained in the air. It looked familiar, only shrouded in a strange purple, one that seemed to grow. A pair of wings with a large cape and a mask covered its small body.

It looked just like…

"Meta Knight?" Joe's eyes narrowed. Something felt wrong. The purple encompassing his frame appeared different than a warrior's battle aura. The color didn't change, so he wasn't preparing a Final Smash either. Time for pondering stopped quickly, as he made a beeline straight for Knuckle Joe, flying at top speed.

The fighter evaded the flying charge with a quick somersault. Nearby Primids didn't share his fortune, purple pieces soaring in multiple directions and reverting to Shadow Bugs, Meta Knight cared nothing for their misfortune. Just collateral damage. After gaining altitude, he turned around in midair.

"What the heck is this Meta Knight? I thought you're days of terrorizing the world we're behind you!" Silence was the response. With no hesitation, the purple swordsman continued his assault, closing the distance. Clenching his knuckles, Joe took his most efficient fighting stance and prepared to execute a vicious counter.

Meta Knight extended his arm, his sword pointing forward.

Closer.

And closer.

Knuckle Joe pulled his arm back, moments away from sending an ultra fast series of jabs directly at his opponent's mask.

And closer.

Meta Knight's eye shifted, and quickly flew to the side at the last second, narrowly avoiding a small Thwomp directly aiming for him from above.

"Huh?" Joe was confused until the Thwomp changed forms, from blue wall sentry to pink spherical warrior. Unlike his usual cute smile, Kirby appeared far from amused, staring down Meta Knight with open disgust. So shocked by the unexpected behavior, Knuckle Joe couldn't stop himself from taking a step back.

"Meta Knight. This is _not_ Meta Knight." Another rarity for Kirby: speaking. He didn't bother continuing the notion, mouth opening wide and fiercely inhaling. The pseudo Meta Knight tried to shield itself with its wings, but Kirby snatched enough of its essence for a similar yet smaller blade to appear in his hands, along with a mask and blue wings of reduced size as well. Sucking up air, Kirby took the fight to him in the air, fake Galaxia swords consecutively clashing.

Wanting to assist his friend, Joe felt the chance slip away as another set of Primids began repopulating the area. Delivering a vicious kick with a shockwave strong enough to send five of them to their deaths, his desperate battle against this army started over once again.

Or so he thought.

During the timeframe of a single second, a large portion of Primids to his right soared through the air, smashed by a large creature swinging a large cage in hand with tremendous force. A creature with a monster plant's face, wearing a red and white-dotted thong and two white cages, one held firmly in each of its leaf-shaped hands. Finally let loose, Petey Pirahna roared before swinging again. This time Joe leapt away to avoid it, but found himself hard pressed to counter as it continued its version of cage fighting.

'_At least he's clearing out these other guys.'_ Joe thought, dodging another blow and watching another group of Primids meet their end. _'But I don't know how long I can keep this up.'_

He rolled to the left, avoiding Petey's vertical strike that left a cage-shaped dent in the linoleum floor. Getting up, he kicked a nearby Primid before diving away from another of the monster's strikes and left him tumbling. The fighter of Dream Land stood but not fast enough to dodge a Primid's incoming boomerang. Clocking him square in the face, he fell to the ground and a mutated plant's shadow loomed overhead.

'_Not gonna make it!'_ Joe thought with widened eyes.

For such a primitive creature, its strike was beyond genius. As the cage descended upon him, Petey aimed it carefully enough for Knuckle Joe to fit precisely within its open door. Before the fighter of Dream Land regained his bearings, the cage closed shut.

* * *

Atop the _Halberd's_ deck, Ganondorf viewed the battle raging on all sides. At the chaos and calamity, at the death and destruction. Just like conquering this ship's crew, the Primids brought results at little cost. Despite high praise, Petey Pirahna's berserk rage left him unimpressed –even if he did ensnare a fighter–, but he was rather pleased with the Shadow Bug version of Meta Knight. It's similarity to the minute swordsman that put up a fight against him was simply remarkable.

When another koopa fell off the _Halberd_, he paid the area extra attention. The fire swordsman from the previous tournament and his mother fought off the Primids well, and the little girl carrying her own weight was certainly impressive, but the king of Gerudos cared little for them. No, he focused exclusively on the Hero of Time, running and dodging with the occasional counter shot, extending his lengthy shootout with the koopas.

'_If Link is here, then what of Zelda?'_ His eyes took another sweep of the stadium, this time with the intent of locating Hyrule's princess. They gazed at various battles and miracles and tragedies, from a mother getting stabbed to Marth saving her daughter. From Funky Kong's corpse thrown overboard to a Primid being demolished by a particularly burning Falcon Punch. From an injured man reaching an exit after evading twenty Primids to Princess Zelda throwing Din's Fire with expert precision. She stood in between two other members of royalty, princes of Dalaam and Nimbus Land, with a face of determination. Their eyes met briefly and he smirked at her shock and horror.

He took a final, reflexive glance towards Link and something caught his eye. Noticing the sword's brown wooden hilt on the Hero of Time's back, Ganondorf burst into laughter, paying no mind to the nearby koopa's puzzled expressions. _'Perfect! Without the Master Sword, Both Link and Zelda will fall! The Triforce will be mine!'_

He wasted no time completing this objective, turning to the nearest koopa. "Close the hatch underneath. We have more than enough forces to crush them."

"Yes sir!" He saluted, then headed for the bridge to relay the message.

'_Besides, it won't be long until it appears.'_ Running to the ship's edge, Ganondorf leapt off, freefalling to the battlefield.

Successfully shooting another fire koopa, Link put another arrow on his bow's string. He looked up in preparation for the next shot and froze in his tracks. His nemesis barreling down to his exact location tended to have that effect. Ganondorf grinned at the shocked response.

"You have been lucky in the past, but this time you will be the one destroyed." He landed confidently, un-phased by his enemy's murderous glare.

"So you're behind this, Ganondorf!" Link unsheathed his blade. "You should've left these people out of it and went straight for me."

"Foolish boy. Those koopas you've been killing weren't my men. My world does not revolve around you. Your presence here is simply a bonus to a plan already in motion."

"A plan that will fall today." Both Lyndis and Roy joined Link's side, swords ready.

The king of Gerudos shook his head in amusement. "Fight alongside him if you must." His smile widened. "_Die_ alongside him if you must. But if you feel that much righteousness, perhaps you should aid that little girl before the Primids overwhelm her."

Sure enough, Paula Polestar was fighting them admirably, but would quickly lose her life without outside intervention. Once confliction appeared on the trio's faces, Ganondorf lunged straight for Roy, delivering a powerful kick surging with dark aura that directly smashed his chest, sending him flying. Ironically, he landed near Paula.

"Roy!" Lyndis shouted, angrily swinging Mani Katti at her son's attacker. Reaching for a hilt, Ganondorf unsheathed one of his swords that blocked Lyn's slash. His other hand glowed with bright yellow energy until it formed a ball. He pushed his sword up, pulling Mani Katti along, and launched the energy ball directly into Lyn.

The blast sent Lyndis flying, knocking over at least thirty Primids before landing uncomfortably on her back. Coughing, she pulled herself to her knees, failing to notice a monster looming overhead. The overbearing shadow alerted her to its presence, but by then it was too late. _'Oh no! I was careless.'_ She looked up at Petey Pirahna's hideous smile.

"Get out of the way!" Knuckle Joe yelled, clutching broken ribs after so much tossing around.

Caught by surprise, she couldn't dodge the cage that slammed down.

Satisfied, Ganondorf turned to Link. "So much for your allies. Are you ready to die now?"

"As far as allies are concerned: Link has one more."

Recognizing the voice, the Triforce of Power's holder had no need to turn around. "Saving me the time to hunt you? You're learning Zelda."

* * *

"Mommy!" A little girl cried. Her mother slumped to the floor once the Primid removed his Beam Sword from her sternum. She looked to the side. Her daddy had already fallen to this monster. Once it set its eyes on her, she knew her time was short, trapped seated between rows of seats and too frightened to move. Raising the sword, he almost descended his arm when another blade sliced cleanly through his waist. On the row below, the swordsman executed his attack mid-jump and continued onward.

As much as Marth wanted to console the distraught child, other Primids needed stopping, lest others end up sharing her parent's fate. Five Primids happily terrorized others nearby, only one stopping upon noticing the Altean Prince heading straight for them. It clumsily swung the Beam Sword in hand, but Marth easily evaded it, grabbing the Primid's arm and shoving the creature over a set of seats and against another of its own kind, one about to punch a preteen boy in the face. Marth leapt over the chair and followed up with a deep thrust, burying Falchion inside both Primids, Shadow Bugs pouring from the wound.

The other Primids responded to the new threat, or at least made the attempt, until a series of sword-shaped energy waves destroyed the face of one. Blade Knight resumed his charge, two opposing vertical slashes making short work of the next Primid. Expecting to succeed where the others failed, the last Primid prepared to kill a civilian but found itself turning around involuntarily.

Mario in a yellow cape was its last sight before a powerful punch made it burst with Shadow Bugs like a piñata.

"Is everyone alright?" Princess Toadstool closely followed behind Mario.

"We're fine." Marth nodded. He directed his gaze to the innocents. "Now's your chance to retreat with great haste. Please don't squander it."

"Is that Princess Toadstool with Mario? Shouldn't you be escorted outta here, your highness?" Asked a bystander. "We'll help if you need it."

"I appreciate your concern, but I worry more for all of you than myself." She tried smiling when they didn't budge, "I'll be fine. Please go. We're assisting as many as we can."

"O-okay. Thanks for your help!" A man shouted, the other civilians following his lead.

All except one.

The little girl kneeled by her mother, nudging the body. Marth approached her with Peach at his side. He kneeled beside the girl. He spoke softly.

"You too child. I know this is scary, but it's unsafe here. Please go ahead and follow the others."

"B-but! My mommy and daddy!" She gestured to the nearby bodies. "They haven't got up yet!"

Following her line of sight, Peach felt her stomach turn and fought the sudden urge to vomit. Mario and Marth and Blade Knight seemed unaffected by it, but the mother had a gaping hole in her sternum and the father's face almost entirely melted off, both wounds courtesy of a scorching Beam Sword.

Luckily, the solution lied in her arsenal.

"Don't worry sweetheart! I'll bring them back in no time." Peach smiled brightly, embracing the child in a gentle hug. She looked down as she spoke, focusing on her well being. A dangerous option, but it sounded infinitely better than noticing and accepting the piles of corpses among the stadium seating.

"Promise?" Eyes wide and mouth open, her face filled with hope.

Peach affectionately nudged the girl's nose with her index finger. "Promise." She raised both arms in the air, summoning her own magic power. "Come Back!" A blue light from above surrounded both parents, followed by a multi-colored twirling star that continued its motion until entering their bodies. Seconds later, the light dissipated and both adults regained consciousness, their wounds closed and appeared fine.

The little girl gasped, "Mommy! Daddy!" She hugged her parents before turning her head back, "Thank you Princess Toadstool!"

A Primid tried to sneak from behind, but a quick hit to the side of its face with a frying pan easily stopped it. "Oh it was my pleasure darling. But please leave this place as quickly as you can." The family nodded, thanking her again before making their escape.

Pulling Falchion from a dead Primid, he gazed at the princess with a face of awe. "Very impressive. I'd no idea of your healing talents," Marth said.

Despite the circumstances, a huge smile found its way on Peach's face. "Thank you very much! Those spells are taxing but they are worth it."

The team of four continued their mission, rescuing innocents and healing injuries and slaying Primids. Marth used his sword's tip with expert precision, slicing and parrying and slashing with the elegant grace of a master with the blade. More quick energy jabs were fired from Blade Knight's weapon, effectively disassembling enemy combatants. Mario's cape disoriented foes well, the assist before a burning fireball or powerful right hook to the jaw. He refrained from using his water pack, lacking deadly force and in case worse came to worse, he thought against ridding himself of a potential drinking supply. In between healing, Princess Toadstool mixed offense and defense, wielding her Peach Parasol like a sword and opened the umbrella for shield-like guarding.

"Blade Knight! Behind you!" Marth shouted, as five Primids appeared right under their noses. With Mario and Peach occupied with their own enemies, he picked up the pace, jumping over a chair and sprinting to lend backup. He needn't bothered as an enormous bolt of scorching hot lightning struck the very center of the Primids, instantly reducing them all to fried Shadow Bugs.

"What in the world…?" Marth trailed off. He looked at Blade Knight, who simply shrugged.

"I've seen that move before!" Shouted Mario, grabbing a Primid and spinning it around before throwing it overboard. "That's one of Prince Mallow's spells!"

A thrust of Peach Parasol poked a Primid's forehead, followed by opening the weapon and delivering a vicious spin move that smacked it in the face with the umbrella. "Mallow!" She waved afterwards. "Thank you!"

From the V.I.P. room's ledge, a bashful smile graced Mallow's features. While helping noncombatants was top priority, he couldn't help keeping an eye on old comrades. Next to him, Prince Poo threw PSI Freeze like candy, stopping Primids in their tracks and allowing innocents to flee their bloodlust. A green symbol repeatedly appeared above Soren, the pale mage summoned powerful gusts of wind, either pulling or pushing Primids off the edge of the seats.

And Princess Zelda used a teleportation spell.

Following a hunch her action involved Link, Marth focused on the center battlefield and nearly dropped Falchion in surprise.

Fighting an enormous army of Primids, Roy and Paula did their best at running and providing appropriate counters. Sadly, anyone with functioning eyesight could tell sheer numbers would overwhelm them. It was simply a matter of time.

He'd located Zelda and Link in a heated discussion with one of the previous tournament's most powerful fighters, Ganondorf. Marth didn't fail to notice how Primids actively avoided him either, displaying an allegiance of some sort.

Making matters worse, some plant-like demon held Knuckle Joe and Lyndis captive in cages around its hands, swinging them against anything nearby, friend or foe. Marth cringed when it bent over and devoured a Primid too close for comfort. The Shadow Bugs remerged consistently after every blow, though the number dwindled after each cycle.

'_Not good enough.'_ Marth thought grimly. _'They need help. Now.'_

"Mario!" He jerked his head to the center of the stadium. "We need to get over there!"

The plumber's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. "Agreed!" He turned to his princess. "Peach! Please stay back while we deal with this."

"Not a chance Mario!" She looked between the two with a scowl. "Those are the biggest threats right? I won't stand idly by while… oh my!" A trio of Primids formed beside her. The one to her left swung a clumsy punch she easily avoided, her hand already gripping her tennis racket. She smashed the Primid behind her in the face while lifting her leg and kicking the third Primid, her heel directly planting itself in its eye. Planning a second strike, the first Primid pulled a fist back but a fast, horizontal slash of Falchion right at the neckline thoroughly stopped that idea.

Stepping over the decapitated enemy, Marth gently placed a hand on Peach's shoulder. She was breathing heavily while he began to speak. "Peach. You can see for yourself what's going on over there. There's no way Link and the others can hope to survive on their own. Mario and I need to lend our support." The princess was still catching her breath. No doubt in his mind that she would be objecting this conversation's obvious trail otherwise. "At this point, I'd advise you to go back to the others. You've already helped greatly but the reality is that the Mushroom Kingdom needs its princess." He directed his attention to their other comrade. "Blade Knight, can I count on you to escort her to safety?"

The armor clad swordsman nodded, "Have no fear, I'll protect the lady with my life!"

He smiled, "Glad to hear it." Peach had started objecting, but the situation was simply too urgent to prolong the debate. He faced the Mushroom Kingdom's hero. "I lack your athletics Mario, so I'll need your assistance."

The plumber nodded, flinging Marth's right arm over his shoulder. He used his other hand to securely hold the prince's waist. The incredible strength of Mario's legs displayed clearly as he bent his legs and followed with a massive leap that easily cleared the pit separating stadium seats and the tournament battlefield.

When the pair landed, spoken words were put on halt, white-gloved fists pounding nearby Primids and the others getting a personal taste of Falchion. Seconds later, they heard the patter of landing feet and a distinctly feminine growl. Turning around, they found Peach standing behind them with her golf club close and the fallen Primid next to her had a mark on its head that perfectly matched its size.

"Princess Toadstool!" Marth exclaimed, "What on Earth are you doing?" A quick glance at their previous location revealed Blade Knight fighting independently, making his way to another area. _'How did she even get here? Her parasol perhaps?'_

"Oh Marth, you're so silly. I'm helping of course." Her sunny smile had returned in full force. "I can heal them you know."

"Peach! Turn back, please!" Mario pleaded. Ganondorf, Petey Pirahna and an army of koopas and unknown _things_ were their enemies in an environment surrounded by a gaping pit on all sides. Why couldn't she have _stayed away_?

Marth sighed, "Forget it Mario. We'll simply have to adapt." He addressed the princess, "Stay between us and offer assistance when necessary. Understand?"

"Right," She nodded with eyes widened. Getting a solid look at the area humbled her fast. She didn't think it was possible, but the pure chaos all around appeared less threatening from afar.

If nothing else, at least it lacked corpses of the innocent.

"We'll head for the monster first." Marth pointed at Petey Pirahna. The abomination landed after a devastating jump that crushed Primids and wounded his cage's occupants. "With luck, Knuckle Joe and Lady Lyndis can still assist us when freed."

"I've fought him before and beat him by blasting him with the water on my back and attacking him on the ground." Mario narrowed his eyes as he noticed their enemy's change in direction. "Let's-a get a move on, I think Petey's getting hungry for Paula and Roy."

* * *

In midair away from the Primids and large scale combat, two spherically shaped fighters of miniscule size fought to the death. The fake Meta Knight's larger sword had given it the edge, but once Kirby added his cutter blade to his active arsenal, his ambidextrous swordsmanship put the pair on more even terms. No, it was more than that. Weaponry played a part, but the façade copied more than appearance. Kirby hadn't forgotten the power and speed Meta Knight possessed with the blade, and this knockoff expertly emulated the skill he remembered during their past duel on the same nearby ship terrorizing the stadium. Zipping through the air, their blades clashed and clashed.

Raising both blades, Kirby swung vertically, both weapons coming down hard on the sword engulfed in purple. His opponent struggled, placing its other hand on the blunt side of his blade. It gave one hard push, throwing Kirby off long enough to throw its cape over its face and vanishing momentarily. Its appearance surprised Kirby, showing up behind him and already in mid-swing.

Caught off guard, Kirby's interception was subpar, throwing him back. His enemy took advantage of this temporary disorientation and slashed repeatedly. Even with his equipment, Kirby's dual swords failed in keeping up with fake Meta Knight's one, blade swinging with nearly equal haste as the original. He blocked some, but many attacks cut through, leaving his small body with smaller cuts.

Testing the waters, Kirby attempted Meta Knight's Mach Tornado. He spun at incredibly high speeds and performed the technique perfectly, as if he'd copied it from the real deal. The pink puffball didn't allow the surprise to faze him, the attack throwing off the imposter. He followed up with his own charge, body glowing red as he became a personal fireball.

Pseudo Meta Knight had another idea. It leapt sideways and made its own lunge while spinning. The abomination didn't feel heat the same way others did, and its Drill Rush pierced straight into Kirby, slashing him over and over and over.

He yelped in agony as he fell. _'Their fighting style. It's so-'_, his thought process cut off as he felt an arm being grabbed. Pseudo Meta Knight pulled its other arm back before thrusting its sword. Thinking fast, Kirby morphed to stone, the enormous weight increase immediately pulling his opponent down with him. Reforming at a random time, Kirby wasted no opportunity, already discarding his fake Galaxia and holding a large wooden hammer in both arms. He screamed with all his might, the swing crashing directly with pseudo Meta Knight's face. The impact shattered the mask, sending its remains flying in all directions. Not just the mask, Shadow Bugs leaked from its body like blood.

'_Just like those things down below.'_

The assault continued. Weapons put away, Kirby flapped his arms for a moment before changing back into stone. This time, the fall went right through that thing with Meta Knight's form. A form it held no longer, exploding in a large mass of Shadow Bugs. His descent kept on going until making a large dent in the battlefield floor and utterly crushing an unlucky Primid.

Kirby took a deep breath, then inhaled and rejoined the battle ignoring the trail of blood following his movements.

* * *

A/N

This chapter is longer than the other two combined and the update didn't take nearly as long. Hopefully that'll get some reviews this time. *begs*

Peach's "Come Back" is a technique from Super Mario RPG that revives fallen party members. Her other healing abilities (how she mentioned healing Knuckle Joe and Lyndis) also comes from that title. Speaking of Peach, I'll admit I'm not too pleased with how her first scene in this chapter (her decision to travel along) came out, so I'll apologize in advance for that one.

Kirby speaking: I think he does it in some of the instruction manuals. Regardless, writing him in a big fight scene and serious events of this magnitude only able to utter baby noises just seems really weird.

Playing the Midair Stadium stage again, it occurred to me late in writing this chapter that I made the battlefield way larger than it actually is. Oh well.

Since pairings are such a hot topic, I'll note that I'm not really sure where to go there. I'm probably not going to stick to canon couplings (Mario/Peach, Marth/Sheeda, etc.), but most other options are open like alternate pairings. I'm also open to het/yaoi/yuri couplings or I could even apply the challenge I do for some other fics (at least 1 male/female, 1 male/male and 1 female/female). Or I could say screw romance and not bother with any pairings, though that's unlikely.


End file.
